Tragedy
by NaniWise
Summary: A mission gone wrong and innocence lost. Nothing would ever be the same again for the citadel. WARNING: Deathfic, Read it at your own risk, but please R n R. Good day and God bless.


( _Okay, so a week or so ago I was thinking about Katsugeki and I was thinking about what it might be like. I was thinking it might kill some swords and for some reason this deathfic came to mind. I am very fond of Akita and Ichigo but for some reason this idea just wouldn't leave my mind so I decided to write it down. Unfortunately, pardon my language, but this fanfiction is dumb as heck. That being said, I own nothing and I hope you enjoy! Happy late Independence day, all y'all Americans! Good day and God bless!)_

It was truly a devastating battle. Far too much was lost and far too little was gained.

No one, not even the master could have predicted the wretched course the mission would take. No one could have known the Kebishi would come.

No one was strong enough nor were they prepared to to find a way out of the battle- No, it wasn't a battle. It was just slaughter, a suicide mission.

They would have retreated. There was no shame in it. They would have fled the moment they laid eyes on those blinding blue flames but the monsters they clashed swords with would not let them. They were attacked relentlessly and mercilessly, like they were nothing but animals to them.

Ichigo Hitofuri, the captain of the squad sent did his very best to protect his comrades. He gave it his all but, despite being one of the strongest swords in the citadel, it just wasn't enough.

He didn't care. He would fight for his friends and family that were left even if he broke it the process. It was a price he was more than willing to pay.

"Retreat!" He commanded the comrades he had left, "Retreat! I'll hold them off here!"

No sword there was delusional enough to think he was strong enough to hold of, not one, but five Kebishi by himself. Not even Akita Toushirou, one of Ichigo's beloved little brothers cruelly brought to this battle today, would believe the lie his brother told with such a cool face.

Akita sobbed, begging for Ichigo to return to his side. At the sight of his tears, Ichigo faltered. He never wanted to make his brothers cry.

He would have ran to Ichigo and Ichigo to him if Yasusada hadn't held Akita in place and if Ichigo's resolve hadn't tied his feet to the earth he stood on.

His eyes met Yasusada's in silent agreement that he would stay there, sacrificing himself so that the others could escape safely.

Once that agreement was made, what was left of his team retreated, dragging a screaming Akita with them.

"No!" He screamed helplessly through his tears, arms reached out to claw at the distant image of his brother, "Ichi! No!"

Ichigo clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, the image of his brothers and his master back at the citadel burnt into his memory vividly. Even if they hated him, even if they all felt betrayed, he was doing this to protect them and that was all that mattered.

With that one thought to steal him, he gripped his sword tight, rushed forward and clashed swords with the Kebishi in front of him, sparks of gold and blue flying in the air like fireflies from the collision.

The Kebishi may have been stronger than anything he had ever faced before but he was like lightning, faster and just as deadly. His blade glinted just as bright in the heavy sunlight as the blue flames of the creatures in front of him and he was a worthy opponent.

The first Kebishi was taken down easily, killed by a gash across the chest and gut. It's body hit the ground with a loud thud and dissipated, becoming dust that was easily blown away in the wind, but Ichigo did not let down his guard. As soon as the first fell, two more took its place.

Overwhelmed and outnumbered and yet, by some sort of miracle, he was still able to push this back. They refused to go down easily and cost Ichigo use of his left arm via a stab to the shoulder but once they were close enough, Ichigo cut them straight through.

But in this desperate situation, he was too distracted to see that those two Kebishi went down far too easily. He was too frantic, to careless to see that it was a trap and that the last two had gotten him right where they wanted him.

Before he had time to notice or to even register what had happened, in a single blink of an eye, he felt a blade pierce his flesh and run his good shoulder straight through.

Ichigo cried out in agony and his screams resounded through the valley, a cruel melody for all who were willing to hear.

At the horrible sound, Akita flinched, his whole body shaking. Yasusada pulled him closer, pitying the boy greatly and sharing his sorrow, knowing that Ichigo was and would always be a great man and a strong soldier.

The remains of the squad of the squad had found the time circle, a golden circle drawn in the dirt that the master could use to extract them from their present time to the now. It was activated by the master's power and ready to take them home if they merely reached it.

Everyone ran into the circle. Once they did, the ring around them turned a deep illuminated green like fireflies.

The light became brighter, threatening to consume the scenery around them like fire and the only chance they had at saving Ichigo Hitofuri.

With sadness but urgency, the remaining swords fled knowing that there was nothing they could do to save him.

The green light had almost consumed everything. But it was then and only then that Yasusada felt something.

In a moment, his arm was filled with a searing burning pain and, to his utter shock, it was Akita pushing his short sword into his arm with all his might.

At the speed only a short sword could muster, Akita took advantage of the mans shock and pushed himself out of his strong grasp.

"Akita, don't!" Yasusada screamed as Akita fell to the floor and out of the time circle.

He reached to take the boy back, knowing exactly what Akita was going to do, but before he could do a thing, the light consumed the remaining swords. Their voices cut off abruptly and their forms vanished as though they never were here. The circle went back to its dull gold color and all was quiet.

The only thing that was left was Akita Toushirou, run as quickly as he could to his brothers aid, hoping and praying that it wasn't too late.

Ichigo, enraged at the cowardice of his opponents, used the last of his strength to pierce the Kebishi standing in back of him straight through the chest. It's body jerked violently. It groaned in agony and breathed its final breath before it and it's sword dissipating just like its comrades.

When his support was lost, his weak and broken body hit the ground with a dull thud. His blood painted the grass underneath him a shocking red as he lost the ability to stand. He felt numb, suffocating under imaginary waves of pain.

This was his end surely. This was where the path he, one of the master's most trusted swords, walked faithfully came to an abrupt end and it would be nothing short of his own doing.

If only he had been more careful. If only he had gone up with a proper strategy to get his squad and himself back to the citadel safely. If only he had trained a bit harder. If only he had taken gold armor that day. If only he had been a little bit stronger.

Maybe then he would have lived to see his brothers smiling faces once again.

The silhouette of the Kebishi in front of him pulling his sword back to end his life was not an image he liked so he closed his eyes and recalled the faces of all the family he left behind.

He whispered an apology to the wind, hoping it would travel through time and back to the citadel where he left them all behind. Maybe they'd find it in themselves to forgive their weak older brother.

He heard the sound of a blade of pure steal rushing forward at inhuman speeds and then he heard nothing. Silence flooded his empty world and everything was washed away.

Ichigo Hitofuri was dead.

But wait.

Wait.

His eyes opened drink in the sunlit scenery all around him.

Ichigo Hitofuri was alive.

His heartbeat raced, blood pumping rapidly through his body like liquid fire.

By some kind of miracle, he was still living and breathing here and now.

It made no sense. His mind frantically tried to put the pieces of this puzzle together.

This silhouette of the Kebishi in front of him was still there, still as stone or a painted image. Had time stopped? Was this the master's power? Had he been saved?

For a moment, his heart was overcome with joy. He was so relieved he thought he might break down and cry on the spot.

He was alive and well in this very moment, here right now.

All was well.

But then it wasn't.

But then his wide eyes adjusted along with his mind as he took in the scene in front of him and the illusion of perfection, the idea that anything was alright or could ever be alright again unraveled and fell through Ichigo's shaking fingers.

It was no miracle that saved his life. This was insanity, this was cruelty, this was the worst possible outcome he could have possibly imagined, and yet it reached far beyond what he thought could be possible.

His heart seemed to stop beating altogether and yet the sound of the beat was deafening. He couldn't even hear himself say his own brothers name.

"Akita…."

His blood mingled with two new shades; The black blood of the monsters he fought and the innocent blood of a child.

He recognized the pink hair and uniform almost instinctively. It was Akita. Akita who should have been far from here, safe and sound, was standing in between him and the creature he fought.

Akita held the hilt of his short sword sword firmly as he buried the blade as deep as it would go into the creature's belly, forcing it downwards and tearing its ghastly skin open to do the most damage.

It was enough. The creature was losing enough blood. The blow was lethal and it would die and turn to dust just like the rest of its companions.

A short sword, a mere child had ended its life in a single strike.

But at a heavy cost.

Just as Akita's short sword pierced it through, the Kebishi's blade rested impaled in the boy's chest, breaking through the chest guard like it was butter.

The silver blade shimmered at one end pure and clean like moonlight but was a far different color when thrust through the child's back.

Almost pitch black in a gushing river of still warm life blood.

Akita's blood. His brothers blood. Blood that should not be shed. Blood he should have protected.

Akita had taken the fatal blow intended for Ichigo.

The sound cleared up and his understanding became sound just as the last Kebishi's sword and body turned to a hideous black sand in the wind and Akita's own began to fall to the ground.

Immediately, almost as though his injured body had acted on its own, he rushed forward and caught Akita's small form in his shaking arms.

That was what he instantly registered. When ever any of his brothers began to fall or slip, he was always there to catch them, fearing that they might get a bruise, a scrape at worst. This moment was no different and yet he couldn't deny the heartbreaking fact that he may have been there for the small child in his arms just a few moments too late.

He was truly in a wretched state. Far too much blood seeped through the cracks in his chest guard like a river. Ichigo tried to do what he could, putting pressure on the gaping wound and placing what was left of his protection charm on the boy's body but to no avail.

The vibrant blue eyes that strayed to the sky in shock were fading too fast and it hurt everything that Ichigo was to know that there was nothing he could do to save him.

"Oh no, Akita…." He whimpered helplessly and miserably.

With one hand to support the back of the child's head and the other supporting his back, Ichigo pulled him as close as he could without hurting, fearful that he might disappear even at the slightest touch.

"I told you to leave!" He cried into the boy's shoulder, "I told you to flee with the others!"

"I… couldn't…." The voice was small, no more audible the the breeze that passed them by but it was there and Ichigo clung to it in desperation.

Ichigo lifted his head and let his trembling and blood soaked fingers stroke his brothers cheek. He was becoming so cold, so so very cold, that to touch his skin felt like an electric shock.

"Why?! You were safe!" He half screamed, almost angrily at Akita, before his voice began to falter, "T-This….This wasn't supposed to…"

His eyes began to search around frantically for someone or something, anything to help Akita but all he saw was a seemingly never ending sea of his own mistakes, his own brothers blood painting the landscape a hideous red.

Ichigo felt an intense panic rise up inside him. He couldn't do anything. He was alone.

"N-No…!" He whispered.

"...Ichi…?" All Akita wanted was for Ichigo to look at him for once and tell him something good. He couldn't see much and his body was becoming so cold, he couldn't feel Ichigo near him.

He was pulled close again, his head cradled safely against Ichigo's chest as he felt Ichigo try to rise to his feet. His legs were weak and injured but he would put all his strength into standing for his brother's sake.

"Ichi…"

All Ichigo could think about was the magic circle that lay some short distance away from here. Once he found it, Akita could be transported to safety and the master could heal him. It was not a sure hope but it was all he had to hold onto.

"I-I won't... let you…." He groaned as he pushed himself forward, every step feeling like fire charring his body, "It… Will be alright…"

Surely it would be. He forced himself to believe the lie because it was to painful, too wrong to face the cruel reality in his arms. Surely there was time. Surely he hadn't lost too much blood. Surely he wouldn't loose dear, sweet, innocent, kind Akita. Surely not.

"Ichi…!"

Surely not.

But his human body was not nearly as strong as his spirit and the fire in his body became far too much. Every remaining ounce of strength he had left failed him in his time of need and his knees met the ground once again.

The impact was rough and far too painful. Ichigo cried out in pain as his broken bones were shifted further out of place and his wounds further irritated but it was far from the the most painful thing he was experiencing in that moment.

He cursed himself and his own pathetic weakness. He blamed himself for what happened to his brother more than what was actually true or logical.

He truly believed he was the reason his brother was dying in his arms. He might as well have been the Kebishis sword that impaled the child. He might as well have been the Kebishi that attacked his team this morning.

He might as well have been the true villian; a pathetic older brother that couldn't even protect his own siblings.

"Master…!" He screamed for his master as he pulled the boy closer to him, his miserable cry shaking his whole body because it was his whole heart that asked for Akita to be saved, "Master! Help me!"

He did not know if his master could hear him. He had never asked for help like this before. He didn't see anything but the blood. All the trees and all the flies around him were hidden in a curtain of harsh red.

"Master! Please!!!"

But a small voice knocked him out of his trance.

"Ichi!"

It was his name being said that brought him back to what really mattered.

He looked into Akita's face almost hesitantly to see that he was crying. Mixing with the blood and sweat that marred his face were tears. Akita was scared. He was in so much pain, more pain than he was ever supposed to feel and he feared his own death just as much as Ichigo feared it. He could see it in the remaining strength in his beautiful blue eyes that now looked into his own, pleading for help or comfort, anything.

"Please…" He begged, "Please stop…"

Panic subsided and he seemed to have reluctantly discovered a bitter peace when he realized that by the time his master brought them back, it would be far too late and he would have wasted what time the poor boy had left.

Even if Akita's life was saved, he would never be strong enough to lift a sword again. He would be trapped in bed for the rest of his life without adventures or fun, anything that made life worthwhile just like his old master that died under house arrest.

If Ichigo knew his younger brother at all, he knew that was the last thing Akita would ever want. It would be a fate almost worse than the death he now faced.

It was than that Ichigo wordlessly and bitterly forgot his thoughts, the inclination that he could save the boys future and forced himself to focus on the current moment, what he needed to do then and there.

Unfortunately, he found himself at a total loss. He had no idea what to say and what few words of comfort he had were caught in his throat.

He felt something cold against his cheek, Akita's icy cold fingers along his face so very softly he would think they were a figment of his imagination.

With a smile Ichigo knew caused him far too much pain to wear, Akita choked out the words through the blood that flooded his mouth, "D-Don't…. Don't cry.. Ichi…"

It was true, he was crying. The reality of all that was happening was coming down on him. It was just too cruel to take a sweet child like Akita from this world. What was he going to tell the master? What was he going to tell their brothers? What on earth was he going to tell himself?

He held Akita's hand tightly against his face, hoping to never let him go. He cried freely and bitterly, not caring that he showed his weakness to Akita.

"Please…" He whimpered through his tears, "Please don't go…"

"I-I couldn't let you…" Akita choked out, his body jerking violently with every word, "...We wait… So long… For…"

"It shouldn't have been you!" Ichigo half gasped, feeling sick to his stomach at the smell of dried blood all around him, "It… Should never have been you…"

"...But…" Akita smiled brightly once again so very softly and it broke Ichigo's heart a thousand times over to know it was one of the last times he'd see it, "I wish…. I could have…"

"Yes?"

"...Gone… On adventures… With you…" He sobbed.

"...We will!" Ichigo insisted, trying to convince Akita just as much as himself, "Once the master comes, you'll be healed and we'll go exploring! We'll….. We'll go on as many adventures as you want, I promise!"

"... Really?"

"I'd never lie to you, Akita…. Y-You just have to stay awake….. Just a little bit longer…"

At this point, Ichigo had forgotten all that would happen if he was saved. He was being selfish, thinking that as long as he saw Akita's face again tomorrow and the next day and the next, surely everything would be alright.

Surely.

"...Ichi…?"

"Y-Yes Akita?" He asked breathlessly. Ichigo was light headed, feeling as though he might faint if another moment passed.

As childish as it was, all he wanted was for someone, anyone to take Akita from his arms and succeed where he didn't, to protect his brother better than he ever did and dedicate every moment of the day to him.

All he wanted was hope, to know that everything would be alright despite how hopeless it seemed.

And yet he leaned in to hear the breeze like whispers that denied him any hope at all. He brought Akita closer to hear Akita's words carried on the waves of a final breath that tickled Ichigo's cheek.

"If…. If only I…. Had wings… Then I… Would be able…. To return…. To master's side……."

And with that final verse, words seemingly straight out of a poetry book, Akita ice cold touch fell like a bird shot out of the sky from Ichigo's hand. It was a scene he had only ever scene in his nightmares and he should have been used to it now but somehow this was too real for him to bare.

For eternal moments, everything seemed frozen in time like painted images on a canvas.

The boys eyes closed and Ichigo was thankful. He would hate to see what they had become. They were a hideous mockery of the lively gems Ichigo had once took so much delight in.

When the body became limp like a dolls porcelain body, it suddenly seemed to way hundreds of pounds more. It was almost too heavy for him to carry.

It was unusual; Wanting to run far away and yet standing completely still, feeling everything and yet feeling nothing at all.

Feeling so empty it was as though he had died in that one moment.

And yet he knew it could change if the boy in his arms just merely opened his eyes and told him that he was alright.

He he merely got up and greeted him with that bright, almost blinding, smile like he usually did, his heart would not spare a single second to restart and beat lively once again.

He'd pick out a day- no, a week purely to spend with Akita, not wasting a single moment to show just how valuable he was to him and all his brothers.

He would go exploring with him, to different continents they had never seen before in all their days, just the two of them. They would climb trees, try out strange fruits, meet new people. They would find lost treasure, explore abandoned buildings, he would tell Ichigo all his secrets and he would tell him all of his.

If he merely woke up and told him those things, he would not hesitate to make everyday an adventure, a gift.

He would try to be a better big brother and maybe he would be forgiven for all the mistakes he had made in the past. But they would all be the past and this day would fade into a distant and frightening memory never to be seen again.

But, unfortunately, this was not a dream he could simply wake up from.

No matter how much he cried, no matter how much he begged, the boy would never wake up. He would never laugh at a joke, cry at a sad book, smile at a pretty flower, get angry at the bees that would follow him around, play with Gokatai, spar with Maeda or skin his knee from falling down ever again.

Ichigo would never forgive himself for this. He would carry the guilt and shame for every moment for the rest of his life.

Akita Toushirou was dead and he might as well have killed him himself.

( _I bet Akita is fine because even though his body broke, his sword didn't. Wouldn't that be funny. Anyways, I am sincerely sorry for this terrible story and, if you want, I could write a better one. You Could request a story and I would be happy to write it. That being said, I hope you don't dislike me now and God bless!)_


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